System and method for associating a wireless mobile communications device with a specific vehicle

ABSTRACT

A communications system may include a first transceiver and a second transceiver both mountable to a vehicle. The first transceiver may include a range substantially limited to a close proximity of the vehicle. The communications system may also include a mobile communications device. The mobile communications device may be adapted to receive a signal from the first transceiver when within the range of the first transceiver. The signal may include information useable by the mobile communications device for configuration of the mobile communications device for two-way communications with the second transceiver.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of prior U.S. patent application Ser.No. 11/530,216, filed on Sep. 8, 2006, the disclosure of which is herebyincorporated by reference herein for all purposes.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to wireless communications and moreparticularly to a system and method for associating a wirelesscommunications device with a specific vehicle, such as an aerospacevehicle, watercraft, terrestrial vehicle or the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Communications between support personnel, crew members and othersassociated with servicing a large vehicle, such as an airliner, a shipor other vehicle can be important to the efficient and safe servicingand support of such vehicles. This is perhaps no more important than inthe airline industry. Airplane ground crews typically communicate withthe pilots, gate crews, and operations centers via headsets. Theseheadsets currently require long-lead cables, which plug into outletjacks located in various areas of the airplane, such as wheel wells,fuel panels, equipment bays, cargo holds as well as other areas. Groundcrew members can become tangled in the headset cables. Additionally,these tethered cable connections limit ground crew mobility and headsetjacks are subject to corrosion and damage because of outdoor exposureand rough use.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, acommunications system may include a first transceiver and a secondtransceiver both mountable to a vehicle. The first transceiver mayinclude a range substantially limited to a close proximity of thevehicle. The communications system may also include a mobilecommunications device. The mobile communications device may be adaptedto receive a signal from the first transceiver when within the range ofthe first transceiver. The signal may include information useable by themobile communications device for configuration of the communicationsdevice for two-way communications with the second transceiver.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a methodfor communications with a specific vehicle may include receiving asignal from a first transceiver mountable to the vehicle when within arange of the first transceiver, wherein the range of the firsttransceiver may be substantially limited to a close proximity of thevehicle. The method may also include configuring a mobile communicationsdevice for two-way communications with a second transceiver based on thesignal received from the first transceiver, wherein the secondtransceiver is mountable to the vehicle.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a methodfor communications with a specific vehicle may include mounting a firsttransceiver to a vehicle, wherein the range of the first transceiver issubstantially limited to a close proximity of the vehicle. The methodmay also include mounting a second transceiver to the vehicle fortwo-way voice communications with a mobile communications device,wherein the mobile communications device may be configurable for two-waycommunications with the second transceiver based on a signal receivedfrom the first transceiver when the mobile communications device iswithin the range of the first transceiver.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, avehicle may include a vehicle structure. The vehicle may also include afirst transceiver mountable to the vehicle structure, wherein the firsttransceiver may include a range substantially limited to a closeproximity of the vehicle. The vehicle may also include a secondtransceiver mountable to the vehicle structure for two-way voicecommunications with a mobile communications device. The mobilecommunications device may be configurable for two-way communicationswith the second transceiver based on a signal received from the firsttransceiver when the mobile communications device is within the range ofthe first transceiver.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, awireless mobile communications device may include a first transceiver toreceive a signal including one of a squelch ID code, a signal preamblecode, a service set identifier (SSID), a token ID, a frequency, or achannel. The mobile communications device may also include a secondtransceiver for two-way voice communications. The mobile communicationsdevice may further include a processor to configure the mobilecommunications device for two-way voice communications based on thesignal received by the first transceiver.

Other aspects and features of the present invention, as defined solelyby the claims, will become apparent to those ordinarily skilled in theart upon review of the following non-limited detailed description of theinvention in conjunction with the accompanying figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an illustration of an example of a wireless communicationssystem for communications with a specific vehicle in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an illustration of an exemplary mobile wireless communicationsdevice for communications with a specific vehicle in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an illustration of an example of a wireless communicationssystem for communications with a specific vehicle in accordance withanother embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart of an exemplary method for communications with aspecific vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description of embodiments refers to theaccompanying drawings, which illustrate specific embodiments of theinvention. Other embodiments having different structures and operationsdo not depart from the scope of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is an illustration of an example of a wireless communicationssystem 100 for communications with a specific vehicle 102 in accordancewith an embodiment of the present invention. The exemplary vehicle 102shown in FIG. 1 is an airplane; however, the vehicle 102 may be any typeof vehicle where the present invention may be applicable, such as inservicing a watercraft or ship, a terrestrial vehicle, for example abus, or the like. The wireless communication system 100 may also beadapted to any system, machine, place, building, or the like.

The wireless communication system 100 may include wireless or radiocommunications equipment 104 or devices associated with the vehicle 102and one or more mobile wireless communications devices 106. The mobilewireless communications device 106 may be a wireless headset or the likethat may be used by personnel servicing or otherwise associated with thespecific vehicle 102 or aircraft. An example of a mobile wirelesscommunications device that may be used for the device 106 will bedescribed in more detail with reference to FIG. 2.

The communications equipment 104 associated with the vehicle 102 mayinclude a first transceiver or a short-range communications apparatus ortransceiver 108 and a second, longer-range transceiver or a primaryvehicle communications apparatus or transceiver 110. The first orshort-range transceiver 108 and the second or primary vehicletransceiver 110 may be mounted to the vehicle 108 at predeterminedstrategic locations as will be discussed in more detail. Strategicplacement of the short-range transceiver 108 may be of particularlyimportance with respect to the short-range transceiver 108 ortransceivers 108′.

The primary vehicle transceiver 110 may be for primary, sustainedcommunications 112, such as voice communications, between the vehicle102 and the mobile communications device 106. The primary vehicletransceiver 110 may have a substantially longer range than theshort-range transceiver 108. The primary vehicle transceiver 110 may beany type of transceiver, including, but not limited to, a FM modulatedVHF radio transceiver or similar radio transceiver.

The primary vehicle transceiver 110 may be coupled to an airplaneinterphone system 114 and to a flight deck communications system 116 forcommunications with flight crew or other personnel within the vehicle102 or aircraft, if the vehicle 102 is an aircraft. The primary vehicletransceiver 110 may be coupled to the airplane interphone system 114 andto the flight deck communications system by a wired or wirelessconnection 118.

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, if thevehicle 102 is an aircraft, the short-range transceiver orcommunications apparatus 108 may be mounted to a nose wheel landing gear120. In another embodiment of the present invention, the short-rangetransceiver 108 may be mounted to a main landing gear (not shown inFIG. 1) or another short-range transceiver 108 may be mounted to one ofthe main landing gear in addition to the short-range transceiver 108mounted to the nose wheel landing gear 120. In a further embodiment ofthe present invention, a plurality of short-range transceivers 108′ maybe mounted on the vehicle 102 or aircraft at predetermined locations andat about a selected distance from one another to provide substantiallycomplete short-range communications coverage around the vehicle 102 oraircraft.

As described in more detail with reference to FIG. 4, the short-rangetransceiver 108 may transmit a signal 122 that may include informationuseable by the mobile communications device 106 for configuration of thecommunications device 106 for two-way communications 112, such as voicecommunications, via the primary vehicle transceiver 110. This permitsassociation of the wireless communications device 106 and other suchdevices with the specific vehicle 102 or aircraft for communicationsstrictly between ground crew members, flight crew members and othersthat may be associated with the specific vehicle 102. The information inthe signal 122 may include one of a squelch code ID, a signal preamblecode, a service set identifier (SSID) for IEEE 802.11 or WiFi wirelesscommunications, token ID, frequency, channel or other information forcommunications with the specific vehicle 102 via the primary transceiver110. IEEE 802.11 is an Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers,Inc. (IEEE) standard for wireless fidelity (WiFi) or wireless local areanetwork (WLAN) communications.

The primary transceiver 110 may be configured to communicate using thesquelch ID code, preamble code, SSID, token ID, or tuned to a selectedchannel or frequency by programming the transceiver 110 via a softwaredownload, which may be done over-the-air, or by maintenance personnelsetting the transceiver to the proper code, frequency or channel. Thetransceiver 110 may also automatically acquire the squelch ID, code orthe like from an RFID target or other short-range transceiver placed onan equipment tray or rack associated with the primary vehicletransceiver 110.

The short-range transceiver 108 has a range substantially limited to aclose proximity of the vehicle. Accordingly, the short-range transceiver108 may have a signal transmission power to substantially limit thetransceiver's range and prevent interference with any other short-rangetransceivers mounted to another proximately located vehicle. As could bethe case at an airport where aircraft may be parked at gates in closeproximate to one another. For example, the short-range transceiver 108may have a selected signal transmission power to limit the range of thetransceiver 108 to less than about thirty (30) feet or whatever rangemay be reasonable to prevent interference from adjacent vehicles oraircraft. This prevents a mobile communications device 106 or headsetbeing used by a ground crew on one aircraft from receiving aninformation signal 120 from another proximately parked vehicle oraircraft and reconfiguring the ground crew's mobile communicationsdevice 106 or headset for the wrong vehicle or aircraft. In this way theground crew's mobile communications device 106 may be associated withthe specific vehicle or aircraft until the mobile communications device106 is configured for communications with another vehicle as describedin more detail with reference to FIG. 4.

In another embodiment of the present invention, once a support person orground crew member has associated his mobile communications device 106or headset with a specific vehicle 102 or aircraft by operating aswitch, such as switch 208 (FIG. 2) or other means as described herein,the mobile communications device 106 may continue to interrogate forshort-range transceivers of nearby vehicles or aircraft. If signals arereceived from a short-range transceiver of a vehicle or aircraft otherthan the original or current vehicle, an audible warning, such as atone, chirp, synthesized voice or the like may be generated by thecommunications device 106 or headset to alert the support person that hemay be near a vehicle or aircraft that his communications device 106 isnot associated with.

The short-range communications apparatus or transceiver 108 may be anytype of short-range communications apparatus or transceiver, such as,but not limited to, a radio transceiver, a radio frequencyidentification (RFID) tag or target, a Bluetooth-type transceiver, orother short-range communications apparatus or device, such as anultrasonic transceiver, an infrared transceiver, a B-field (magnetic)transceiver, or the like. Bluetooth is a trademark or certification markof Bluetooth SIG, Inc. in the United States, other countries or both.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle primarytransceiver 110 and the short-range transceiver 108 may be integratedinto a single device. As such, the integrated transceiver may transmitthe signal 122 including the information for configuring the mobilecommunications device 106.

FIG. 2 is an illustration of an exemplary mobile wireless communicationsdevice 200 for communications with a specific vehicle in accordance withan embodiment of the present invention. The mobile communications device200 may be used for the communications device 106 in FIG. 1. The mobilecommunications device 200 illustrated in FIG. 2 is in the form of aheadset 204. The mobile communications device 200 or headset 204 mayinclude a first, short-range transceiver 206. The short-rangetransceiver 206 may interrogate the short-range transceiver 108 mountedto the vehicle 102 in FIG. 1. In one embodiment of the presentinvention, the headset short-range transceiver 206 may be a radiofrequency identification (RFID) reader or the like and the vehicleshort-range transceiver 108 may be an RFID target. Accordingly, headsetRFID reader 206 may interrogate or read the RFID target 108 associatedwith the specific vehicle 102. The headset RFID reader 206 may read asquelch ID code or other information for configuring the headset 204from the RFID tag or target when the communications device 200 is placedin close proximity of the RFID target 108. The ground crewperson maysimply place the headset 204 near the RFID target (transceiver 108 inFIG. 1) on the vehicle 102 or aircraft to read the squelch ID code orother configuration information. The headset 204 will then be associatedwith the specific vehicle 102 or aircraft because both will use the samesquelch ID, code, frequency, channel or the like. Only the headset 204and associated vehicle or aircraft can communicate with each otherbecause of the unique squelch ID, code, frequency, channel, etc.

In other embodiments of the present invention, the short-rangetransceiver 206 may be an ultrasonic transceiver, an infraredtransceiver, B-field transceiver or the like in addition to ashort-range radio transceiver or similar communications apparatus ordevice. The short-range transceiver (transceiver 108 or transceivers108′ in FIG. 1) mounted to the vehicle will be compatible with theshort-range transceiver 206.

In another embodiment of the present invention, an alternative toplacing the wireless headset 204 in close proximity to one of the RFIDtargets, or short-range transceivers 108 in FIG. 1, may be to increasethe range of the short-range transceiver or RFID reader 206 in theheadset 204 and add a switch 208 to the headset 204 that activates theshort-range transceiver 206. Thus, when the headset 204 is broughtwithin the range of the transceiver 206, a user may activate the switch208 and the RFID reader or transceiver 206 may ping an RFID target orvehicle mounted transceiver to acquire the squelch ID, code or otherconfiguration information. This can be accomplished from a greaterdistance from the vehicle or airplane and without having to remove theheadset 204. The greater RFID range may require a larger enclosure toaccommodate the antenna (not shown) and electronics.

The communications device 200 or headset 204 may also include a secondor primary transceiver 210 for two-way voice communications with avehicle such as the vehicle 102 or aircraft of FIG. 1. The primarytransceiver 210 may communicate with a primary transceiver of thevehicle, such as primary transceiver 110 in FIG. 1.

The communications device 200 may further include a processor andcontrol logic unit 212 to configure the mobile communications device 200or headset 204 for two-way communications based on the signal or squelchID received by the RFID reader or first, short-range transceiver 206.The processor and control logic unit 212 may be adapted to append asquelch ID code or other code to each communication or signaltransmitted by the primary transceiver 210. The processor and controllogic unit 212 may also detect a squelch ID code or other code from eachsignal or communication received to determine if the signal orcommunication is from an associated or specific vehicle or aircraft. Theprocessor and control logic unit 212 may process or convert thecommunication to audio signals in response to the squelch ID or othercode corresponding to the specific code for the vehicle or aircraft.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the processor andcontrol logic unit 212 may tune the mobile communications device 200 toone of a channel or frequency corresponding to a channel or frequencyreceived from the specific vehicle or aircraft by the short-rangetransceiver 206 or RFID reader. The channel or frequency received willbe the channel or frequency on which the vehicle primary transceiver 110(FIG. 1) is communicating so that the communications device 200 orheadset 204 may be configured or tuned to the frequency or channel forcommunicating strictly with the specific vehicle or aircraft.

Multiple mobile communications devices, such as device 106 in FIG. 1 ordevice 200 in FIG. 2, may communicate with the vehicle transceiver 110(FIG. 1) concurrently. For example, if multiple mobile communicationsdevices assume the same squelch ID of a vehicle's transceiver 110,multiple ground crew members may use these mobile communications devices106 or 200 simultaneously and thus, communicate with the same vehicle102 or aircraft by using different mobile communications devices 106.

The squelch ID may be re-assignable. In other words, because vehicles orairplanes will have different squelch IDs, the wireless headset 204 mayassume different squelch IDs in order to communicate with other vehiclesor aircraft. This may be done when the wireless headset 204 moves intoproximity of a short-range transceiver 108 or RFID target of anothervehicle. This allows for the RFID reader 206 of the wireless headset 204to read the short-range transceiver on the other vehicle, acquire thesquelch ID code from this short-range transceiver and reconfigure theheadset 204 to communicate using this new squelch ID.

As an alternative to using squelch IDs (as explained above), the mobilecommunications device 106 may, instead, receive a signal preamble code,a SSID, a token ID, a frequency, channel or other information forcommunicating with the vehicle transceiver 110 of FIG. 1. Thisinformation would be transmitted by the short-range transceivers 108.Once this information is received by the mobile communications device106, the mobile communications device 106 may then tune itself to thefrequency or channel of the vehicle transceiver 110 or use the preamblecode, SSID, or token ID in communicating with the specific vehicle 102or aircraft.

FIG. 3 is an illustration of an example of a wireless communicationssystem 300 for communications with a specific vehicle or aircraft 302 inaccordance with another embodiment of the present invention. The system300 may include communications equipment 304 that may be associated withthe vehicle or aircraft 302 and communications equipment 306 that may beground based or that may be associated with a gate 308 at an airport.The system 300 may include a short-range transceiver 310 that may besimilar or the same as the transceiver 108 in FIG. 1. The short-rangetransceiver 310 may be a RFID tag or target, a radio transceiver, anultrasonic transceiver, an infrared transceiver, a B-field transceiveror other short-range communications apparatus. The transceiver 310 maybe located near a door 312 of the aircraft 302.

The system 300 may also include another transceiver 314 orcommunications apparatus that may be located in a jet way 316 associatedwith the gate 308. The jet way transceiver 314 may be a RFID reader,radio transceiver, ultrasonic transceiver, infrared transceiver, B-fieldtransceiver or other communications apparatus. Accordingly, when theaircraft 302 approaches or parks outside the gate 308, the jet waytransceiver 314 may be within range of the aircraft short-rangetransceiver 310 in order to receive a signal 318 from the aircrafttransceiver 310. The signal 318 may be similar to the signal 120described with reference to FIG. 1 and may include information forconfiguring a wireless gate transceiver 320 for communication 324 with avehicle primary transceiver 322. Another signal 326 may be transmittedfrom the jet way transceiver 314 to the wireless gate transceiver 320including the information for configuring the gate transceiver 320. Thevehicle primary transceiver 322 may be similar to the vehicletransceiver 110 described with reference to FIG. 1.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the gate transceiver 320may also be a wired communications device rather than wireless. Forexample the gate transceiver may be mounted in a counter, desk or thelike, and may be wired to the transceiver 314 or some other unit forcommunication with the vehicle or aircraft 302.

The system 300 may be combined with the system 100 of FIG. 1 so thatflight crew, maintenance crew, gate crew, cabin crew and any othersassociated with a specific vehicle or aircraft may use wirelesscommunications devices similar to devices 106 or 320 or headsets likeheadset 204 (FIG. 2) that are configurable for communication with oneanother in association with a specific vehicle or aircraft.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart of an exemplary method 400 for communicationswith a specific vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention. FIG. 4 has been divided into a mobile wireless communicationsdevice portion 402 to indicate functions or operations that may beperformed by a mobile wireless communications device, such as device 106(FIG. 1) or device 200 (FIG. 2), and a vehicle portion 404 to indicatefunctions or operations that may be performed by components associatedwith a vehicle or aircraft, such as vehicle or aircraft 102 in FIG. 1 orvehicle 302 in FIG. 3. The method 400 may be embodied in the systems 100and 300 of FIGS. 1 and 3, respectively. The wireless communicationsdevice portion 402 may be embodied in the wireless communications device200 of FIG. 2.

In block 406 an interrogation signal, code request signal, ping signalor similar signal may be transmitted by the wireless communicationsdevice or headset when within communications range of a first orshort-range transceiver associated with the specific vehicle or vehiclethat a user of the communications device desires to be able tocommunicate with others servicing or who are otherwise associated withthe vehicle. In block 408, the interrogation signal, code signal orsimilar signal may be received by the short-range transceiver mounted tothe specific vehicle. The short-range transceiver may be a RFID target,Bluetooth type transceiver or similar short-range transceiver similar toshort-range transceiver 108 or 310 described with reference to FIGS. 1and 3, respectively. As previously discussed, the communications deviceor headset may be placed proximate to the short-range transceiver, suchas an RFID target or the like, to interrogate, ping or request toreceive a signal including information for the wireless communicationsdevice to communicate via the specific vehicle with others associatedwith the specific vehicle. In another embodiment of the presentinvention, a switch may be operated by the user to transmit theinterrogation signal in block 406 or to cause an RFID reader to ping orread an RFID target as previously described. The switch and operationmay be similar to switch 208 described with reference to FIG. 2.

In block 410, a signal may be transmitted from the short-rangetransceiver including information useable by the communications devicefor configuration for two-way communications with a second or primaryvehicle transceiver. The second or primary vehicle transceiver may besimilar to the second or primary vehicle transceiver 110 in FIG. 1 or322 in FIG. 3. As previously described, the information forconfiguration of the communications device may be a unique squelch IDcode, a SSID for 802.11 wireless communications, a preamble code, atoken ID, a frequency, channel or some other information that may beused to configure the communications device for communications inassociation with only the specific vehicle or aircraft.

In block 412, the signal including the information to configure thewireless communications device for two-way voice communications or thelike with the second or primary vehicle transceiver may be received. Inblock 414, the communications device may be configured for communicationwith the specific vehicle or aircraft or with others servicing orotherwise associated with the specific vehicle or aircraft using theinformation in the information signal. Similar to that previouslydescribed the communications device may be configured to prefix eachsignal or packet of communications data to be transmitted with theunique squelch ID code, a preamble code, token ring or the like. Thecommunications device may be further configured to only process receivedsignals or communications data containing the unique squelch ID code orother code for the specific vehicle. In another embodiment of thepresent invention, the communications device may use the frequency orchannel information in the received information signal for configurationor to tune to a unique selected channel or frequency for communications.

In block 416, each signal or packet of communications data to betransmitted by the primary vehicle transceiver may be prefixed with theunique squelch ID code or other prefix. Additionally, only receivedsignals or communications data containing the unique squelch ID or otherprefix for the specific vehicle or aircraft may be processed by theprimary vehicle transceiver. In the other embodiment of the presentinvention discussed above, the primary vehicle transceiver may be set oradjusted to transmit and receive signals or communications data only onthe selected frequency or channel unique to the specific vehicle oraircraft. In this manner communications devices may be associated with aspecific vehicle or aircraft even when other vehicles or aircraft are inclose proximate where wireless communications could interfere with eachother. Any communications technology or techniques to limitcommunications among communications devices and a specific vehicle oraircraft may be applicable for the present invention.

In block 418, a determination may be made if the communications devicehas moved to another vehicle. If not, the communications device willmaintain the current configuration in block 420. If the communicationsdevice has moved to another vehicle, the method may return to block 406.This operation may involve the headset being placed proximate to theshort-range transceiver associated with the new vehicle or aircraft aspreviously described. Or in another embodiment of the present invention,a switch, such as switch 208 in FIG. 2, may be operated for the wirelesscommunications device to transmit an interrogation signal, requestsignal or the like to acquire the appropriate information forconfiguration of the communications device for communications with thenew vehicle or aircraft. The method 400 may then proceed as previouslydescribed.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, similarto that previously discussed, once a support person or ground crewmember has associated his mobile communications device or headset with aspecific vehicle or aircraft by operating a switch, such as switch 208(FIG. 2) or other means as described herein, the mobile communicationsdevice may continue to interrogate for short-range transceivers ofnearby vehicles or aircraft. If signals are received from a short-rangetransceiver of a non-associated vehicle or aircraft, or vehicle oraircraft other than the vehicle currently associated with the mobilecommunications device, an audible warning signal, such as a tone, chirp,synthesized voice or the like, may be generated in block 420 by themobile wireless communications device or headset to alert the supportperson that he may be near a vehicle or aircraft with which hiscommunications device is not associated.

The flowcharts and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate thearchitecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementationsof systems, methods and computer program products according to variousembodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in theflowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portionof code, which comprises one or more executable instructions forimplementing the specified logical function(s). It should also be notedthat, in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in theblock may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, twoblocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantiallyconcurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverseorder, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be notedthat each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, andcombinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchartillustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-basedsystems which perform the specified functions or acts, or combinationsof special purpose hardware and computer instructions.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularembodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. Asused herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended toinclude the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicatesotherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises”and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify thepresence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements,and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of oneor more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements,components, and/or groups thereof.

Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and describedherein, those of ordinary skill in the art appreciate that anyarrangement which is calculated to achieve the same purpose may besubstituted for the specific embodiments shown and that the inventionhas other applications in other environments. This application isintended to cover any adaptations or variations of the presentinvention. The following claims are in no way intended to limit thescope of the invention to the specific embodiments described herein.

1. A vehicle, comprising: a vehicle structure; a first transceivermountable to the vehicle structure, wherein the first transceiverincludes a range substantially limited to a close proximity of thevehicle; and a second transceiver mountable to the vehicle structure,for two-way voice communications with a mobile communications device,wherein the mobile communications device is configurable for directtwo-way communications with the second transceiver based on a signalreceived from the first transceiver when the mobile communicationsdevice is within the range of the first transceiver.
 2. The vehicle ofclaim 1, wherein the vehicle is one of a group comprising an aircraft, awatercraft, and a terrestrial vehicle.
 3. The vehicle of claim 1,wherein the first transceiver comprises a signal transmission power toprevent interference with any other short-range transceiver mounted toanother proximately located vehicle.
 4. The vehicle of claim 1, whereinthe first transceiver is one of a group comprising a radio frequency(RFID) target, a radio transceiver, an ultrasonic transceiver, aninfrared transceiver, and a B-field transceiver.
 5. The vehicle of claim1, wherein the vehicle is an aircraft and wherein the first transceiveris mounted to one of a nose wheel landing gear and a main landing gear.6. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of firsttransceivers each mounted at predetermined locations on the vehicle andat about a selected distance between one another.
 7. The vehicle ofclaim 1, wherein the vehicle is an aircraft and the first transceiver ismounted proximate to a door of the aircraft to communicate with a thirdtransceiver mountable in a jet way of an airport.
 8. The vehicle ofclaim 1, wherein the vehicle is an aircraft and wherein the secondtransceiver is couplable to at least one of an airplane interphonesystem and a flight deck communications system of the aircraft.
 9. Thevehicle of claim 1, wherein the first transceiver and the secondtransceiver are integrated in a single transceiver.
 10. The vehicle ofclaim 1, wherein a plurality of mobile communications devices isconfigurable for direct two-way communications with the secondtransceiver and with each of the mobile communications devices.
 11. Anaircraft, comprising: a fuselage; a short-range transceiver mounted tothe aircraft, wherein the short-range transceiver includes a rangelimited to prevent interference with any other short-range transceivermounted on another aircraft; a primary transceiver mounted to theaircraft for two-way voice communications with a communications deviceuseable by a ground crew person, wherein the communications device isconfigurable for direct two-way communications with the primarytransceiver based on a signal received from the short-range transceiverwhen the communications device is within the range of the short-rangetransceiver.
 12. The aircraft of claim 11, wherein the short-rangetransceiver is mounted at a predetermined location on the aircraft forcommunication with another transceiver located at a gate of an airport.13. The aircraft of claim 11, wherein the short-range transceiver inmounted proximate to one of a nose wheel landing gear and a main landinggear.
 14. The aircraft of claim 11, wherein the short-range transceivertransmits one of a squelch ID code, a signal preamble code, a serviceset identifier (SSID), a token ID, a frequency and a channel forconfiguring the communications device for two-way communications withthe primary transceiver.
 15. The aircraft of claim 11, furthercomprising a plurality of short-range transceiver, each mounted at apredetermined location on the aircraft.
 16. The aircraft of claim 11,wherein the short-range transceiver in mounted proximate a door of theaircraft for communication with a wireless transceiver in a jet way ofan airport.
 17. The aircraft of claim 11, wherein the primarytransceiver is connected to at least one of an interphone system of theaircraft and a flight deck communications system of the aircraft forcommunications between personnel onboard the aircraft and ground crewpersonnel.
 18. A method for establishing wireless communications betweenpersonnel onboard an aircraft and ground crew personnel, the methodcomprising: transmitting a signal from a short-range transceiver mountedto the aircraft to a communications device useable by ground crewpersonnel when the communications device is within a range of theshort-range transceiver, wherein the range of the short-rangetransceiver is a distance to prevent interference with any othershort-range transceiver mounted on another aircraft; and wherein thesignal comprises information useable by the communications device forconfiguration of the communication device for direct two-waycommunications with a primary transceiver mounted to the aircraft. 19.The method of claim 18, wherein transmitting the signal comprisestransmitting one of a group including a squelch ID code, a signalpreamble code, a service set identifier (SSID), a token ID, a frequency,and a channel.
 20. The method of claim 18, wherein the primarytransceiver has a substantially longer range than the short-rangetransceiver.